Ascension: Festival or Father's Day? Traditions in view!

traditions and customs

The celebrations on Ascension Day are versatile. Services are traditionally held in parish gardens, forests and mountains. The historical roots of the holidays are often expelled. The removals and processions that took place in the Middle Ages were an imitation of the apostle procession and often contained religious petitional processions before Ascension. In some regions, processions are also common for harvesting.

A striking feature of the holiday is the move around men's groups, often accompanied by handcarts and beer. This tradition, which was created in the 19th century, developed from the earlier Ascension sorts, in which men went on excursions without women who were then known as "schinken tours". This aspect of the holiday contributed to the fact that Father's Day in the 1950s became popular by advertising campaigns in Europe and a large number of celebrations in the wild.

security and traffic

Unfortunately, Ascension Day also brings a dark side with it. It is reported that more traffic accidents in particular are registered under the influence of alcohol on this holiday than on other days. In 2024, 287 such accidents were documented on this day, while the average value is otherwise 95 per day. This underlines the need for mindfulness and responsibility during the celebrations, especially since Friday after Ascension Day is free of school in many federal states, which can lead to an increased volume of traffic.

Overall, Ascension Day remains an important day in German culture, both as a religious festival and as a popular celebration of Father's Day. The way this day is committed reflects both religious and social traditions that have developed over the centuries.